Oil heater



W. J. MILLER Aug. 19, 1952 OIL HEATER Filed June 22, 1950 Patentecl g. n19, i952 This invention relates to heating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for eciently and rapidly heating a fluidY heat exchange medium such as a suitable oil. Y ,Y

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an oil heater. f

A further object of the invention is the provision of an oil heater incorporating noveldesign and construction enabling extremely rapid and eliicient transfer of heat from combustion to a fluid heating medium.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an oil heater including a novel fluid jacketed combustion chamber. p

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an oil heater of design and construction contributing to the economical formation of the heater and the compact size thereof.

The oil heater shown and described herein is particularly adapted for use in heating bituminous material such as asphalt and the like and wherein hot oil from the heater,"as disclosed herein, is circulated through tanks, tank cars or other containers of asphalt in suitable heat exchange coils therein for the purpose of liquefying the asphalt to the point where it can be pumped from thesaid containers. v I

The eiliciency of operation of the oil heater herein makes possible the extremely rapid heating and liquefying of asphalt in storage tanks and the like which ycontributes to the economic handling of such products as it eliminates time heretofore wasted in attempting to heat asphalt in such containers by steam generators as heretofore known in fthe art.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional side elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view taken onv line 3-3 of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will be seen that the hot oil heater comprises a semi-cylindrical tank I 1 claim. V(c1. 12s-343,5)

having end walls I2 and I3, respectively, and supported on a suitablebase I4. The semi-cylindrical tank IIl has a secondary semi-cylindrical tank I5 of smaller size' positioned within the t semi-.cylindrical :tank I0 and defining a chamber I6 surrounding the sides and one end of the secondary tank I5 so vthat it is in effect jacketed by the tank IIJ. The chamber I6 is normally substantially filled with a, fluid heat exchanging medium such as suitable heat exchange oil so as to enclose the tank.I5. t

The tank I5 has an-,end wall I'I therein spaced with respect to the end wall I2 of the tank IIJ and the other end of thetank ;I 5 is secured to the end wall I3 of the tank Il). -The tank I5 has va longitudinally extending, transversely arcuate baiile I8 located in the uppermost portion thereof and which baille extendsffrom the end wall I3 to a point adjacent but spaced with respect to the end wall I'I. .v l

An opeinng I9 formed in the end wall I3 com-y municates with the interior of the semi-cylindrical` tank I5 iin the end thereof opposite from the end wall .I1 and and into this opening fits the nozzle or hood I9 ofa burner 2D so that combustible fuel may. be introduced into the tank I5v through the nozzle I9 and burned therein. A heat exchange'coil'2I,-including a plurality of convolutions, the diameters of which are of a size. slightly smaller than the interior of the tank I5 is located in the interior of the tank I5, as bestl shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and. the ends of the coil 2| extend outwardly through' the end wall I3, one of the ends being indicated by the numeral 22 and the other by the numeral. 23. The end 23 of the heat exchange coil 2|; communicates with the outlet of pump 24 while the inlet of the pump 24 isl in communication. by way of an inlet pipe 25 with the chamber I6y in the tank I0. The end 22 of the coil 2I cornmunicates With the chamber I6 in the tank lit at a point near the uppermost portion thereof so that heat exchange oil in the chamber I6 will also fill the heat exchange coil 2 I It will be observed that when the burner 20 is operated as byk a motor 26 and the products of combustion introduced into the tank I5, they will flow longitudinally thereof about the heat exchange coil 2|, upwardly around the far end of the baffle I8 and longitudinally of the baille I8 and immediately thereabove to a stack 21. It will be observed that the heat exchange action thus obtained is very eilicient as the operation of the motor 26, in addition to operating the burner 20, also operates the pump 24 and conand thatthe eiciency of the apparatus is much greater than any heat exchanger heretofore;

known in the art and particularly .as usedu inn connection with a liquid heating medium such as oil for subsequent circulationl througnasphv-alt;

containers and the like.

Still referring to Figure 1 of the drawings itW will be seen that meanslfor circulating hot oil through thev chamber uI'Itoa container tojbe heated '(not 'shwril isfprovid'ed. Meansy comprisin'g a .valve-controllecl-v pipe. 28. from which. hotloil'rn'ay be pumped from the chamberIG and aV secondary. valve-controlled.; .pipe` '29. .through which h'oi oilY may! b'ef returned tothe. chamber` I 6. It will.v be db'served thatthepipe communie, cates' with.' the upper partoithechambenl and, adjacent. the` inlet. communicating l with 'the jenclv 22y of the heatexchangercoil 2-.I.Aso.;that thepumpv outlet communicates with th'elareaofL the chamber IS. 'containingl'thef hottest. oil. The fluid heating.v medium in` the chamber; IEfandthe.V heat exchar'1ge1-'-V coil 2Il isLat atmosphericA pressure. as an upwardlyprojecting atmospheric vent 30 is provided inthe'tankl'.

It will-thusibeseem thatfthe several objects ofthe invention are: metby-thefhot oil heaterdsclos'ec'i--herein`r y Having thus described my invention,. what I. claim'isg V A liquidheater comprising `av horizontally.l

posed main.containeiihavingfront andreari end walls'andjupper andf-lwerwallpmltions and side, wall `po`rtion`s, anY atmospheric. vent. extendingfromk the'fmain' container., 'a secondary', container di`spoied-- horizontally in the. main containenand; having/upper 'and' lower wall Aportions. and side wall prtionsiand'f a1 rear.v endl wallA spaced: inf, ward-lyn from `the correspendingV wallsl'c f:theF main- Vpcmtions of the secondary container, the rear end of said baffle plate being spaced inwardly from, the rear wall of the secondary container, a source ofv products of combustion communicating `with the secondary container through an openj' ing inthel front wall below said baiile plate, there being outlet opening for products of combustion in the said front wall above said battle plate,

a circulating pump` outwardly of the front wall, a coilin..the "combustion chambersubstantially coextensivewithfthe'length, of. thebale plateV and having-'its convolutions adjacent, the baffle..

communicating with the upper.l portion of thev space within the main container, anda ppevhavf,V

ing one endconnectedwithv the. vpump and its other end mounted through. thefroni-wall and communicating withI the-portion ofthe space in ythe main container under the 'secondary conwie??? l 7 WIIVJIAAMy J '.1 MILLER.

aEeERENcEs. crit-EFD` 1.hf1..thi'stat.at=l.

lemme,

rIhe followingfreferenes are of record in the 

